A Time to Date
by WinterFairy209
Summary: Marci finally meets Barry's parents. Naldo, Cyd and Shelby spy on them. But the whole ordeal changes them. Suddenly Barry doesn't know how he should feel. Shelby doesn't know how she does feel. And Naldo and Cyd want popcorn.
"Hey, Naldo!" Shelby greeted as she walked into the RV one Friday evening. "Hey B- Where's Barry?" She asked when she noticed the group's resident scientist wasn't anywhere to be seen. Which was pretty difficult considering the RV's tiny size.

"Oh, tonight he's introducing Marci to his parents." Naldo replied.

"And he left you here alone?" Cyd asked in disbelief as she walked up behind Shelby, after overhearing the conversation.

"Well," Naldo began. "Technically, he said he wanted me nowhere near him or Marci tonight. He also said he especially didn't want me in the RV. But I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"So we're not supposed to be in here," Cyd summarized. "Cool!"

"Now we can be the nerdy scientists!" She exclaimed, grabbing a pair of goggles and a lab coat.

"Look, I'm Barry," She said in attempt to sound like Barry. "And I'm gonna mix these two bottles and science is gonna happen!"

"No, not those two," Naldo cheerfully said. "Barry said never to mix those two."

"Okay, how about these two?"

"Nope!"

Shelby ignored the constant stream of "How about these two" and "Nope" as she felt her stomach twist up. Strangely this always happened when someone mentioned Marci and Barry. But Shelby was certain it had nothing to do with that.

She looked over at a mirror Barry had left lying around, _"_ _Probably from preparing for Marci"_ She thought, and caught a glance at her reflection. She thought she looked similar to Barry when she requested help landing Cameron as a date.

* * *

Barry nervously mussed with his hair as he tapped his foot in his family's waiting room. He glanced at his watch time to time.

 _"_ _What if she doesn't show up?"_ He thought _, "What if she decided I'm being too elusive again?"_

"No, no, no," He chided himself out loud. "Silly Barry. Of course she'll show up."

He looked at his usual outfit of slacks, a jacket and a striped shirt. Had he dressed too casual? It was only dinner with his parents, he couldn't dress in a tuxedo.

His nervous thoughts were interrupted by a ring.

"The doorbell!" He exclaimed and rushed to open it.

He pulled the door open to see Marci standing there in a floral-patterned dress with a pink beret.

 _"_ _Shelby wears dresses like those,"_ He thought as he looked at his girlfriend's outfit. Wait, why was he thinking about Shelby at a time like this?

"Hi Barry," She greeted. "I hope you don't mind I brought my camera." She said motioning to the camera. "I just wanted to capture every moment of the first time of my trip to your house."

She snapped a photo of Barry standing there with a large flash.

Barry blinked at the bright light while the picture shot out of Marci's old camera.

"Ah, first one," She remarked. "So many memories."

She tucked the photo under her hat and started walking, "Well, time to show me the rest of your house!"

"Ah, yes." Barry strained to chuckle, "As scientists we must always be gathering evidence and exploring new things."

"Uh, huh. Yeah." Marci said as she rummaged through the drawers of the kitchen.

"Ooh, an egg beater," She awed. "This reminds me of my mother's egg beater. My great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother used it to fight off seventeenth century pirates during the annual chili cook-off at her village. My mother still makes wonderful chili with it."

"While I'm sure all egg-beaters look similar," Barry said. "I doubt one made in the seventeenth century would still be useful today due to rust and I don't think an egg beater would be helpful in making chili because most chili recipes do not require eggs."

"Mmmh" Marci ignored him as she plucked a magazine off a rack.

"Be careful!" Barry warned. "Those are my mother's collection of priceless World War 2 magazines!"

"Oops," Marci said as she dropped it on the floor. "Oh, well. World War 2 was overrated anyway."

* * *

"And she just dropped one of his mother's vintage magazines on the floor," Naldo narrated from the telescope. "Mrs. Eisenberg won't be happy about that."

"Ouch," Cyd flinched. "I remember when I did that, the first dozen or so times I came over there."

"And just last week," Shelby piped in.

"They really should know by now that telling me not to touch something only makes me want to touch it more!"

* * *

Barry's parents, Dina and Dennis Eisenberg, rushed down the stairs when they heard the commotion.

"Oh!" Mrs. Eisenberg cried. "My magazines!"

"Sorry Mrs. Eisenberg," Marci comforted indifferently as Mrs. Eisenberg cradled her magazines.

"Don't worry dear," Mrs. Eisenberg said with tears shining in her eyes. "Cyd does this all the time."

Mr. Eisenberg, known as Disco Dennis in his glory days, nodded in agreement to the statement.

"Mom!" Barry moaned from the background. _"_ _Every time someone drops her magazines, she does this,"_ He thought. _"_ _Every time."_

"I'll help pick them up!" Marci exclaimed as she grabbed the magazine from Mrs. Eisenberg's hands.

The paper teared.

* * *

"And Mrs. Eisenberg just fainted," Naldo said. "I wonder if they'll call the E.R. One time I choked on my pudding and got to ride in the ambulance. It was fun!"

"It's kind of funny in a precious-object-ruining way," Cyd remarked.

"Guys," Shelby paced back and forth throughout the van. "Should we really be spying on them? Doesn't it sound immoral to you?"

"Nope."

* * *

Mr. Eisenberg was leaning over his fallen wife, gently waving his hand to awaken her.

"I'm sorry about your mother, Barry." Marci apologized. "It reminds me of when my cat ate my Grandpappy's dollar. I never got over that."

"You mean you got over it eventually." Barry corrected.

"Nope. I never got over it."

"Oh,"

* * *

"Shelbs, chill," Cyd said as Shelby continued to pace through the RV. "What's to be worried about?"

"I don't know," Shelby started running her fingers through her wavy blonde hair. "What if he finds out we spied on him and says he never wants to see us again!"

"Shelby," Cyd places her hand on Shelby's shoulder. "You know he'll never get rid of us."

"True." Shelby said, "But what if he does something worse?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know!"

* * *

Barry and Marci sat awkwardly at the Eisenberg's kitchen counter.

"So, uh, Mom, you're okay, right?" Barry asked.

"Yes, honey." Mrs. Eisenberg said in a faint voice while fanning her face.

"Um, good." Barry stated. He looked nervously over at Marci. "So how have you enjoyed the tour so far?"

"Oh, it's been great. I've gotten some wonderful pictures." Marci said.

"So far?" Mrs. Eisenberg echoed.

"Pictures?" Mr. Eisenberg said.

"So how about I show you the upstairs-" Barry started to say before him mother interrupted him.

"Actually, how about we stop the tour here?" She suggested.

"Besides, Barry," Mr. Eisenberg. "You know we don't allow girls in your room."

"Dad!" Barry whined. "I wasn't going to show here that!"

"Then what were you going to show her?" Mr. Eisenberg said questionably.

"Just my DNA subtraction kit," Barry murmured into the countertop.

A silence fell over the group.

"So, what's for dinner?" Marci asked obliviously.

* * *

"Wait, are they getting _pizza_ delivered?" Cyd asked after taking over for Naldo at the telescope. "And they didn't invite me?"

"Cyd, it's a _date_ ," Shelby said, spitting out the word "date".

"Shelbs, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shelby said, emitting a high-pitched laugh. "I mean, why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason," Cyd said, deciding not to push.

* * *

"So, this is good pizza," Barry mentioned as he chewed on a pepperoni pizza slice.

"Yeah," Marci piped in.

"Speedy's," Mrs. Eisenberg said coldly. "Your favorite."

"Mmm," Barry gobbled down his slice of pizza. "Well, I'm done. And so is Marci, so I think we'll go outside."

"But I'm not finished-" Marci said.

"Yes, you are," Barry interrupted, grabbing her elbow.

* * *

"Ooh, they're going outside," Cyd teased. "I wonder if any lip to lip action is going to happen."

" _Cyd!_ Don't joke about that sort of stuff!" Shelby exclaimed.

"Shelbs, are you sure you're okay?"

" _I'm fine._ "

* * *

"Sorry about my parents," Barry apologized. "They just aren't use to me going out with girls."

"It's okay," Marci said. "I don't mind."

Barry grew stiff and their conversation halted.

"My parents are coming to pick me up in two minutes," Marci said, checking her phone.

"Oh," Barry remarked, not as disappointed as he thought he would be.

"I believe that after a date, you're supposed to have a good-bye kiss," Barry said.

Barry leaned towards Marci, lips puckered.

* * *

 _"_ _Oh, god."_ Shelby thought as she felt her stomach twist and turn. _"_ _I can't do this."_

Shelby turned and ran out of the RV, with Cyd following. "Shelby, wait!"

* * *

Barry was almost kissing Marci, lips so close that he one quick movement and it would be done. Suddenly, he stopped.

"Marci, I can't do this." He admitted. "You're a great girl, but I think I may have misinterpreted friendship for romantic love. I'm sorry, but I think we have to break-up. I hope we can still be friends.

"Okay,"

Barry lingered a little longer before awkwardly heading towards the lab, muttering that he needed to be among things that did not feel emotions.

"Well, I'm not sure what just happened," Marci remarked. "But I'm just gonna go with it."

* * *

"Oh hey, Barry," Naldo greeted as Barry walked into the RV.

"Hey Renaldo," Barry said before he did a double take. "Renaldo! I said not to come into the lab tonight."

"Oops."

"Never mind," Barry sighed, sinking into a chair. "Renaldo, I just broke up with Marci."

"I know,"

Barry looked over at the telescope. "Renaldo! Did you spy on us?"

"Maybe," Naldo said guiltily.

Barry sighed again. "Renaldo, what am I going to do? I thought I really liked her."

"Well, if you liked her, then why did you break up with her?"

"I don't know, I just didn't feel any _romantic_ attraction, what do you common people call it, a zing?"

"Ah, a zing," Naldo said. "Wish Shelby had known that before she ran out of here."

"The girls were here too?"

"Yeah, I think Shelby likes you."

Barry sighed. "Renaldo, that's ridiculous, she's dating Drake."

"No, she isn't."

"Yes, she is. Remember?"

"No, she broke up with him."

"Really?" Barry brightened. "Why haven't I heard about that?"

"She broke up with him a while ago, you were just so busy she couldn't tell you."

"Oh,"

"The real question is, do you like Shelby?"

"I don't Renaldo, I thought I liked Marci, but I don't." Barry admitted.

"Well, how do you feel about Shelby?"

"Well, when I'm around her my stomach feels like I've swallowed a bunch of butterflies, but when I'm not around her, I want to be around her."

"Uh huh, keep going, keep going," Naldo nodded thoughtfully.

"And I like talking to her, hearing her talk."

"Have you ever felt like kissing her?" Naldo interrupted.

"Well, yeah. But I always thought that was just teenage hormones."

"Barry!" Naldo exclaimed, jumping up. "You like Shelby!"

"I do? I do! It all makes sense now!" Barry admitted.

"You need to tell her now!"

"But, Renaldo what if she doesn't like me? What if she's sleeping? It's rather late-"

Naldo quelled Barry's protests but shoving him out the RV and leaning against the door.

"Ah," Naldo sighed. "Young love."

* * *

Shelby was dramatically flung on her bed when Cyd found her

"Shelbs!" Cyd exclaimed, rushing to her side. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Shelby replied.

"No, you're not." Cyd said firmly. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" Shelby cried. "I just couldn't watch Barry kiss Marci!"

"Why?"

"I…I think I like him, Cyd."

"Barry?" Cyd asked, confused. "But why? Barry's just so…. Barry."

"I know, that's why I like him." Shelby shifted to see Cyd. "I like Barry, because he's Barry."

"Oh, well, then what are you going to do?"

"Nothing!" Shelby sniffled. "He likes Marci."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Cyd rushed to see who it was and confirmed Shelby's worst fears. "It's Barry."

"I can't see him like this!" Shelby exclaimed.

"You're going to have to see him anyway, why not tonight?"

"So I can prolong my agony." Shelby answered.

" _Shelbs,_ "

"I'll go see him," Shelby sighed, dragging herself out of bed.

"And leave the pig!" Cyd called as Shelby squeezed a stuffed pig.

Shelby wordlessly threw it back and Cyd got knocked in the head by a stuffed pig.

* * *

"Uh, hi, Barry," Shelby said awkwardly when she answered the door.

"Shelby, can I talk to you a minute?" Barry asked. "Outside."

"Okay," Shelby stepped out onto her porch and closed the door behind her.

"Shelby, I have come to realize that I hold romantic feelings for you."

"Huh?"

"I like you Shelby," Barry said simply.

"No, no, no, that can't be." Shelby claimed. "You like Marci."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't"

"I saw you kiss her Barry!" Shelby cried.

"I didn't, you saw me _almost_ kiss her."

Shelby stood there silent for a moment. "You really do?"

"I do, with all of my heart."

Silence continued.

"What now?"

"I believe it is appropriate to end this moment with a kiss." Barry said.

He leaned over, grabbed Shelby's hands, and they ended the night with a kiss.


End file.
